Wig block

ABSTRACT

A wig block is provided which permits variable disposition of simulated ears thereon, to conform closely to the conditions of a customer&#39;&#39;s head, and the wig block further is distinguished by markings enabling ready transfer of measurements determined in accordance with present novel method.

United States Patent Fields [541 WIG BLOCK 4 [72] Inventor: Earl C. Fields, 3660 Donegal Drive,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45236 [22] Filed: Feb. 13, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 11,113

[52] US. Cl ..l32/9 [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d l/00 [58] Field of Search .....132/9, 53, 5; 223/66; 46/172,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,139 9/1933 Browne ..46/151 1,292,113 1/1919 Smith ..46/164 1,490,479 4/1924 N081 ..132/53 [151 3,692,031 51 Sept. 19, 1972 3,197,093 7/1965 Doran ..223/66 3,210,884 10/1965 Sharff et :al. ..46/22 3,327,842 6/ 1967 Meredith et a1. ..206/8 3,447,726 6/1969 George ..223/66 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeil] Attorney-Melville, Strasser, Foster & Hoffman [57] ABSTRACT A wig block is provided which permits variable disposition of simulated ears thereon, to conform vclosely to the conditions of a customers head, and the wig block further is distinguished by markings enabling ready transfer of measurements determined in accordance with present novel method.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 19 I97? 3.692.031

' sum 1 OF 2 FIG.I ,FIG.2

ATTORNEY PATENTEDSEPIQ m2 3.s92.i031 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.5

. FIG] INVENTOR 35 EARL c. FIELDS BY Fl 6.6 jug D ATTORNEY WIG BLOCK This invention relates to the fitting and styling of wigs and more particularlyteaches a novel structure and a novel method useful in this art.

, It will be understood in the following discussion that the term wig block refers to a form approximating the shape of a human head, suchblocks being used by stylists as the formupon which a wig is fashioned for the head of a particular person. The term circumferential measurement refers to a measurement well known to those active in the art which extends around the head of a person from the base of the occiput (at the back of the skull just about the neck) at the rear, to the forehead at the front. A raw wig" is one of stock size having a fabric base portion (the cap") in which are caught the strands of hair comprising the wig.

The present practice with wigstylists is to take a raw wig, that is, one roughly corresponding in size to the head of the customer and to mold the raw' wig upon a wig block in such a fashion that it will fit pleasingly on the customer. Usually the wig block utilized for a given job is selected from a set graduated as to circumferential measurement, the particular block selected corresponding in such measurement to that of the head of the customer. The raw wig is placed upon the wig block and held there by retaining means such as pins, and the material of the wig locally stretchedor shrunk as the need for a good fit dictates.

There are distinct drawbacks to the procedure just outlined. As thus practiced, wig styling is entirely an art, depending upon the eye andskill of the individual wig stylist for closeness of fit and styling for the individual customer. This is so because known wig blocks are not really a satisfactory substitute for the head of the customer. For the job to be done with uniformly good results, the molding should be .done on the customers head itself, or upon a closely modelled substitute therefor. Only then would the natural indicia present on the customer's head be available for correctly modelling the wig for thatcustomer, the natural indiciato which reference is made being a means indicating the hair line, and means representing theears. In theabsence of the present invention, and employing only prior practice, not until the customer comes in for a fitting can the operator know whether the product of his art fits well.

The present invention has for its primary object increasing the predictability of a satisfactory outcome to the efforts of the wig stylist. A method is provided for taking critical measurements on the head of a subject and in addition a novel wig block is provided to which such critical measurements may be readily transferred so that more satisfactory results are uniformly obtainable by wig stylists. The present wig block is distinguished in that simulated ears may be disposed on the block in releasable fashion and moreover the positioning of the ears on the head of the actual subject may be readily simulated on the block.

In addition to the provision of removable simulated ears on the wig block the present invention contemplates a system of measurements to be made on the customers head, which measurements can quickly and easily be transferred to a wig block as herein provided. The measurements which are made are as follows: (1) Determine the circumferential measurement beginning at the starting point, the center of the forehead at the hairline (either actual hairline, or where the wig stylist feels the hairline should be) around the head to the base of the occiput at the rear; (2) Measure from tip of ear to tip of car over the top of the head; (3) Measure from the starting point to the tip of each ear; and, (4) Beginning at the starting point measure back across the top of the head to the base of the occiput.

Following determination of the foregoing measurements, such measurements are utilized first to select the appropriate wig block, then to set that wig block up for the particular job, then to appropriately deploy the raw or partially modified wig upon the set-up wig block.

In my novel wig block, a mark is permanently im pressed at the front of the block, such permanent mark corresponding to the aforementioned starting point at the center of the forehead where the hairline is or should be. It will be understood that the first measurementreferred to above, the circumferential measurement, provides the means by which the appropriate wig block from a series of wig blocks graduated as to size is selected for the preparation of a wig for a particular customer.

Vertical and horizontal parameters must be established so that the simulated ears may be positioned on the wig block to conform. to such positioning on the head of the customer. The second measurement is that which establishes the horizontal component of location of such simulated ears, while the third establishes the vertical. When these two measurements have been determined, the cars can be attached to the wig block at a place closely simulating the position of the actual ears of the customer. A distinctive feature of the novel wig block here provided is the ability to fasten simulated ears to the block in this manner, such position being variable for different customers though the same block is used, for thereby the task of the wig stylist in both fitting and styling the wig for the particular customer is greatly eased.

Following selection of the appropriate wig block, and disposition of simulated ears thereon, a raw wig is taken, roughly fitted to the wig block by taking tucks in the cap as necessary if too large or stretched if too small, and the wig then pinned to the block about the ears in a manner utilizing the fourth measurement recited above.

How the foregoing object and many other objects are to be implemented will become clear through a consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a human head which is going to be fitted with a wig;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same head;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a wig block in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a back view of the same wig block as seen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the same wig block seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, a wig being shown pinned in place in broken lines in this view;

FIG. 6 is a view of a simulated ear which can be removably attached to the wig block of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5; and

FIG. 7 is a section through the wig seen in FIG. 6, the section being taken at 7 -7 in FIG. 6.

Locations on the head which must be identified in connection with the description of the present invention are the starting point 10, (the midpoint of the forehead where the hairline is or should be), and the base of the occiput 11 at the back of the head. (Wig stylists generally refer to this location by the less technical designation base of the skull," or base of the cranium.) The third location on the head entering into the taking of measurements for the present purpose is the top 12 or 13 of the ears.

Having placed these locations on the given head, the first step is to determine the circumferential measurement of the head. Beginning at the point and running completely around the head on a line 14 including base of the occiput 11 as is shown in FIG. 1, gives a circumferential measurement for the head.

Measurements are then made for the purpose of locating the simulated ears on the later described wig block. A measurement (the second above described) is made over the top of the head between the tops of each ear on line 15, that is, the distance over the top of the head between points 12 and 13 as seen in FIG. 2, is measured. The other measurements (the third above described) for purposes of locating the ears is that from point 10 to top of ear 12 on line 16 as seen in FIG. 1. It will be understood that this last measurement locates the left ear, and a similar measurement would be made from point 10 to the top of right ear 13.

The last measurement (the fourth above described) begins at point 10 as seen in FIG. 2 and runs backwardly over the top of the head along the midline of the head and down the back of the head to edge 11 as may best be seen in FIG. 2.

Wig block 20 shown in FIGS. 3-5 is a form to which a raw wig may be fastened by the use of appropriate retaining means, such means generally being pins. The wig block 20 approximates a human head, being generally spherical, but having a flattened portion 21, representing the face area of the head. It will be understood that the wig block 20 is formed with a fixed circumferential dimension. That is, after the first measurement above is determined for a particular customer, a wig block having a corresponding dimension is selected from one of a number of wig blocks which the wig stylist will have on hand, the different ones varing from each other as to circumferential dimension, probably between 19 /2 and 23% inches in increments of one-half inch.

Fixed point 22 is permanently impressed on wig block 20, and such point represents a starting point for making measurements on the wig block. It corresponds to the starting point on the customers head at the center of the forehead either at the actual hairline, or where the wig stylist has decided the hairline ought to be in the case, for example, of a receded hairline.

There is also a graduated series of measurements at the back of the wig block indicated by numeral 23. Each of these calibrated markings has a dimension applied to it in k-inch increments as may be seen in FIG. 4.

At the side of wig block 20, as may best be seen in FIG. 5 are a plurality of female snap fasteners 30 molded into the material of the wig block. As may be seen in FIG. 5 such female snap fasteners are arranged in rows horizontally and vertically. Associated with each of the vertical rows is a dimension ranging from 5 to 7 in )-inch increments. Associated with each of the horizontal rows is a number representing a dimension from 9 to 13 inches. A simulated left car 35, is shown in FIG. 6 having unitary therewith a male snap fastener 36 so that such snap fastener 36 may be used to attach releasably simulated left ear 35 into whichever is the appropriate female snap fastener of the plurality 30 thereof. It will be understood that a simulated right ear, and right side of wig block 20 are not depicted, for the description relating to the left can also be readily applied for the right ear.

In addition to deriving the four measurements above described, in setting up the wig block for the preparation of a wig, the simulated ears are mounted on the wig block. The single appropriate, female snap fastener from group 30 into which the male fastener 36 is to be inserted is determined by first deciding which horizontal row is the correct one by means of the second measurement described above, that between the tips of the ears over the top of the head. (The dimension between 9 and 13 inclusive appearing on the block itself is that actually measured by the operator from top of ear to top of ear, but the location of the row of female fasteners on the block itself takes into account, and automatically compensates for the measurement from the snap fastener upward to top of ear.)

The appropriate vertical row is then selected by means of making the third measurement from the fixed point 22 to the top of the ear 12. Where the appropriate horizontal row and vertical row cross, is the proper female snap fastener. For example, let us assume that the second measurement for the given customer is 10 inches. In this case the second horizontal row from the top is the correct row. Assume then that the third measurement for the given customer is 6 inches. The middle vertical row then is the appropriate row. They cross at female snap fastener 37 and the male snap fastener 36 should be inserted into female snap fastener 37 for that customer. It will be observed that the simulated ear 35 is formed with an integral flange 35a, the function of which is to bear against the wig block and by friction deter rotation of male snap fastener 36 within a female snap fastener. The wig block is then ready for application, fitting and styling of the wig to that customers head.

The preparation of a wig on the customized wig block will now be briefly described. A raw wig 40 consisting of the cap portion 41, i.e., the fabric portion holding the hair 42 which cap portion 41 will lay close to the skull of the customer, is selected. Raw wigs are not generally supplied in graduated sizes, and for this reason raw wigs are usually substantially oversize. The cap of the wig may be made of various fabrics, some of which are elasticized to stretch in one or more directions, but all will lend themselves to the following treatment. Horizontal and vertical tucks in the cap 41 are taken as may be necessary in order to reach a fairly close fit to the customer's head, the need for such tucks being determined by reversing the raw wig, then applying the measurements referred to above to the cap of the wig. A tuck is made by making a fold in the cap and then stitching the tuck to hold it in place. The partially prepared wig is then applied to the prepared wig block 20 and the wig 40 is pinned to the block as is shown in broken lines in FIG. 5. Pins 43 are pushed through the fabric of cap 41 into the material of wig block 20. The center of the front of the wig is attached by means of a pin 43 at fixed point 22. The wig then is pinned at the backof the wig block to the appropriate graduated measurement 23 at the rear corresponding to the fourth measurement above, and is then also pinned about the ears as may also be seen in FIG. 5. A very close fit of wig to head is then made by wetting the cap and drying it. The cap will shrink under this treatment. Occasionally it is necessary to stretch the wig, and this is accomplished by wetting the wig prior to pinning it, then stretching it to pin it in the proper place and finally, drying the wig.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein and though changed or modified, the structure and method could still fall within the ambit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A wig block for use in fashioning a wig to conform to the dimensions of the wearers head, said wig block having a generally spherical portion of predetermined circumferential measurement simulating a human head of corresponding circumferential measurement, a pair of simulated ears adapted to be detachably secured to the opposite sides of said wig block, a plurality of engaging means mounted on the opposite sides of said wig block for releasably mounting said ears thereon in a plurality of predetermined horizontal and vertical positions, and mating engaging means secured to said simulated ears selectively engageable with the engaging means on said wig block at each of said predetermined horizontal and vertical positions, a fixed point marking means on said wig block at a point representing the midpoint of the wearers forehead, vertically oriented indicia on opposite sides of said wig block at graduated intervals to selectively indicate the plurality of vertical rows of positions of attachment of the simulated ears to said wig block in accordance with the actual distance between the midpoint of the wearers forehead and the tops of the wearers ears, and additional indicia arranged horizontally on opposite sides of said wig block at graduated intervals to selectively indicate the plurality of horizontal rows of positions of attachment of the simulated ears to said wig block in accordance with the actual distance between the uppermost tips of the wearers ears as measured across the top of the wearers head, whereby said simulated ears may be readily attached to said wig block in positions corresponding to the location of the wearers ears to thereby simulate on said wig block the configuration of the wearers head.

2. The wig block as claimed in claim 1 wherein said engaging means comprises a plurality of engaging elements arranged in a plurality of horizontal and vertical rows coinciding with the rows of indicia on the opposite sides of said wig block.

3. The wig block as claimed in claim 2 including a plurality of graduated markings at the lower back of said wig block to selectively indicate the circumferential distance between said fixed point marking means and said graduated markings in accordance with the actual distance between the midpoint of the wearers forehead and the base of the occi ut measured over the top of the wearers head along he medlan line thereof.

4. The wig block claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said simulated ears has a flange portion for bearing against said wig block to maintain said simulated ear frictionally in position following engagement of said engaging means and said mating engaging means.

5. The wig block as claimed in claim 2 wherein said engaging elements and said mating engaging means comprise snap fastener means.

6. The wig block as claimed in claim 5 wherein said engaging elements each comprises a female snap fastener element and wherein said mating engaging means comprises a single male snap fastener element on each of said simulated ears. 

1. A wig block for use in fashioning a wig to conform to the dimensions of the wearer''s head, said wig block having a generally spherical portion of predetermined circumferential measurement simulating a human head of corresponding circumferential measurement, a pair of simulated ears adapted to be detachably secured to the opposite sides of said wig block, a plurality of engaging means mounted on the opposite sides of said wig block for releasably mounting said ears thereon in a plurality of predetermined horizontal and vertical positions, and mAting engaging means secured to said simulated ears selectively engageable with the engaging means on said wig block at each of said predetermined horizontal and vertical positions, a fixed point marking means on said wig block at a point representing the midpoint of the wearer''s forehead, vertically oriented indicia on opposite sides of said wig block at graduated intervals to selectively indicate the plurality of vertical rows of positions of attachment of the simulated ears to said wig block in accordance with the actual distance between the midpoint of the wearer''s forehead and the tops of the wearer''s ears, and additional indicia arranged horizontally on opposite sides of said wig block at graduated intervals to selectively indicate the plurality of horizontal rows of positions of attachment of the simulated ears to said wig block in accordance with the actual distance between the uppermost tips of the wearer''s ears as measured across the top of the wearer''s head, whereby said simulated ears may be readily attached to said wig block in positions corresponding to the location of the wearer''s ears to thereby simulate on said wig block the configuration of the wearer''s head.
 2. The wig block as claimed in claim 1 wherein said engaging means comprises a plurality of engaging elements arranged in a plurality of horizontal and vertical rows coinciding with the rows of indicia on the opposite sides of said wig block.
 3. The wig block as claimed in claim 2 including a plurality of graduated markings at the lower back of said wig block to selectively indicate the circumferential distance between said fixed point marking means and said graduated markings in accordance with the actual distance between the midpoint of the wearer''s forehead and the base of the occiput measured over the top of the wearer''s head along the median line thereof.
 4. The wig block claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said simulated ears has a flange portion for bearing against said wig block to maintain said simulated ear frictionally in position following engagement of said engaging means and said mating engaging means.
 5. The wig block as claimed in claim 2 wherein said engaging elements and said mating engaging means comprise snap fastener means.
 6. The wig block as claimed in claim 5 wherein said engaging elements each comprises a female snap fastener element and wherein said mating engaging means comprises a single male snap fastener element on each of said simulated ears. 